I have been sick

 Not only sick but ended up in the hospital overnight and then my phone finally seized up and died. So now I am feeling much better, have new phone so was able to get out to the garden and get pictures and water and all that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite new hand technology, blogger is still being stupid.  But new phone has much better camera so much better pictures. The jade is blooming, though not as profusely as I had thought and the skies are  not quite that blue, a bit over enthusiastic camera on my phone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hard to tell due to angle but those onions are very tall and so is the cilantro. The carrots are doing okay and the four garlic I planted have sprouted!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The potatoes have not broken the surface and when I watered it filled in the holes more, oh well. The tomato is looking rather weak but I suspect that is due to lack of water the past week. The onions in the raised bed are still far from being usable, but that's okay I have TONS of them from the other bed.

 

As I said, the cilantro is thriving. I only cut about half of it and have no idea what to do with it. I was going to use scissors but then realized the  undergrowth would be cut too so I just started pulling sharply and they broke off easily. I pulled all the onions in the west bed rather than cutting the tops. I ended up chopping all but maybe three and put it in a baggie in the freezer. The cilantro I just put in a baggie in the fridge. Will see if I can figure out how to dry it in the oven or microwave.

 I had to mark the approximate locations of the garlic coming up, they're about two inches tall right now so here's hoping they will be ready to harvest by summer and have good size and flavorful heads. 

 

I watered very thoroughly and still had to dig in the soil because in some spots it was very compacted. I had to be careful around the carrots and onions in the raised bed. I used up a lot of energy watering but won't likely have another chance until Wednesday. May need to go to the store tomorrow and then have dr. appointment on Tuesday so it will have to make do with what it got.

 

But it's been sunny and warm, which is what the garden needed after a cold two weeks. Spring is here for sure.
 

 

 

Slight change in weather

 It was COOOLLLD last night! Now probably not freezing because according to the app it only got down to the 40's in the early morning hours. My hands got cold around 8pm and I could not get warm! What does that say about the garden? It's winter! So today there's a mild Santa Ana wind, warming things up to the mid 60's but it was 58-60 in the apartment this morning. The soil might warm up just a tad near the surface but not nearly enough to warm up the spuds in their little divots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clear wintry skies with bare trees, that's what we've got going on the last two days.The sky is actually a lot lighter blue than those pictures, almost slate blue to baby blue and the wind was blowing the leaves around for sure.

 Just for reference, this is chickweed growing in a planter pot and is exactly the same thing in the south bed. Not worried about it, helps later on with 'natural nitrogen' when I pull them out and mix them in with the compost. 

Speaking of the south bed, I harvested a handful of cilantro from a couple of plants. Stems and leaves are a bit soft and lighter green but that's to be expected growing in the shade. 

 

As I was about to take a picture of the potato and stuff, the wind blew a near perfect little red leaf into the onions. I picked it up and attempted to toss it to the side but aerodynamics and wind said otherwise and it landed in the bed again. So there you have it, got a picture of the little leaf that wanted to be remembered. The potato is getting rather tall really and shading one of the other potato divots but there's plenty of time for them to get their sunshine. Cauliflower and Romaine still plugging a long not every quickly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And cilantro doing what it does, another tall plant coming up where I tossed seed last summer. The carrots are doing just fine actually, should have a nice crop in another month or two. Which will coincide with sun coming back more to the north and giving them all more warmth. 

I haven't watered in about two weeks I think. Cold, rain, then clear but cold, by the time it feels like it needs water, it rains again. Such is the way of the weather and as it should be. 

The hills are all lush and green across the county, if there's any brown, it's rocks or cliffs. San Diego Spring is late winter and snow for the rest of the country. Wouldn't change it for the world.

Seems I was behind schedule

 Oh and the weather is doing what it's supposed to do. Rained overnight so everything was still very wet today. Wind has picked up but is still overcast with thin higher clouds. 

Snapped a picture of the hawk nest up in the Ash tree yesterday.  Heard them calling the day before that so am glad I caught sight of it while walking Rocky. Happy that they stayed in the neighborhood and found a suitable new location.

Left the crate off overnight and didn't seem to be any disturbance other than the soil being even more wet with the rain. You can see the potato and cauliflower leaning to the south where the sun is and the onions are finally thickening up now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really still hard to see just how tall that cilantro is now. Compared to the other late growers in the west bed. Mixed in with that little clump is what appears to be a Romaine sprout. Will see what happens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for being behind schedule, I decided to plant the garlic I had in the fridge for the past month. Some gardeners in the facebook group already have it sprouting and most had planted theirs in September. Oh well. Will see what happens. 

I planted a total of four out of six. Three on the west end and one on the east end, or maybe two. I was going to plant next to the tomatillo but saw a sprout that looked like lettuce to decided not to. 

Such a hodgepodge garden this year. No organization other than what I felt I wanted to do.  I held off planting any in the raised bed because that's going to be crowded as it is with the potatoes and cauliflower and then maybe some sweet peas in another month. But technically need to be started now.

 So that's it for now. Going to be busy with other things the next week and won't be able to get down to the garden as much. Everything will be fine, weather will be mild and cloudy so nothing's going to dry out.

Huzzah... I think. 

Rain and rain...and planting potatoes

 Rained a good portion of last day of December. Seriously rained, a good portion of San Diego got well over 2 inches and, as some of you may have seen on the news already, mud flooding in parts where it shouldn't happen. We were just fine, other than a quick jaunt out to the pharmacy and store in the early part of the day when it wasn't raining too much. After that we hunkered down listened to the rain fall periodically pouring. 

No pictures from the day because it was raining all day, same with New Years Day. This is today, thoroughly soaked garden with a faily thick layer of clouds today and then rain off and on for the next week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think the little stuff under the cilantro is chickweed, which is okay, obnoxious but I'm okay with it in that bed. Can't tell but the tallest cilantro is about 10 inches. The carrots are all reasonably spaced so not going to pull any at this time. Given the variety that gets rather thick and short, might pull some later. The lone tomatillo is untouched and continuing to thrive. 

 

Everything progressing just fine in the raised bed, tomato looks a bit yellow but will see what happens. I decided to dig up several spots for the potato pieces and first spot was where I know I planted one of the 'half baked' ones. The red swirl is what is left of one of the tomatoes and the blue is a nice fat worm. There are definitely worms in that bed which is fantastic. 

 

First two potatoes down about six inches as I remembered the instructions. I won't be able to hill them as much as I should but will hope for the best. Third one in probably a bit too close to the tomato but it's the room I've got. Not supposed to put potatoes and tomatoes in the same bed and especially at the same time. So that's on me.

 

 Fourth and fifth potatoes completing the set. I pulled up the funky leaf thing and saw it was a seedling from something. Not going to worry about it, I seem to recall something like it last year as well. That slow growing I suspect it was a tree seed. Are they all about twelve inches apart? Not likely but hopefully far enough apart they'll not crowd each other too badly. I've seen more crowding in a cardboard box.

 

I left soil hilled around them for future use and then realized it was just begging for some hungry critter to go sniffing around and dig everything up. So, good use for the crate. Not like there's a lot of sun lately so not going to do any harm overnight and likely rain tomorrow. Almost crushed one of the onions but not a big deal. Potato leaf got in the way as I shifted the position but it all worked out. I could have used the chicken wire but didn't want the hassle. 

 

And then this little guy was hanging around. When I first walked into the garden it zipped along the wall and then disappeared between the fence and the building before I could get my phone out. I puttered around and it came out again but once more too fast for this old lady. Ducked behind the logs. This last time as I was heading out, I stopped and slowly got my phone out and was able to snap a picture. About 4 inches long so likely one of the babies from this summer. I really love that log pile except it is definitely full of termites which I hope the lizards are taking advantage of eating.

 

That grey duspile under the end of the log inside the curve of that black thing. That's a big pile of termite frass. I'm hoping they are staying in the logs and not getting in the building, but from what I've seen of the posts and support pillars...... that's wishful thinking. If they had to have a termite inspection for selling the complex or whatever reason, it would fail.

So. Starting to cloud over again and is drizzly now, glad I got out to the garden when I did.  The potatoes really needed to get planted, hope they sprout.

Yay potatoes! 

 

 

 

 

 

Things are growing

 Got a wind and rain storm before Christmas and then it was quiet, and the wind came up again this week and it's supposed to rain on New Years. All well and good, don't have to be out int he garden for watering at least but did check in on things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But first, Christmas day was beautiful! Big puffy clouds and breezy blue skies. Temps were in the 70's which was perfect. Don't know why that picture on the right is cattywampus. But it was a lovely day, the plants all loved the rain that hit the day before.

First butterfly seen in a while. Mourning Cloak is starting early this year. I think it was taking advantage of a warm spot on that root. I haven't been able to do a thorough check in the garden without having to duck back out to check on where Rocky is.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cilantro going crazy like it does and the green onions in the west bed seemed to have all one side leaves blown down. Hard to tell but behind them near the oregano is where I planted the small clump of tomatillos. Well two survived to bet about an inch or so tall and then when I checked on it one of them had been munched down. So one remains. Such is nature and gardening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The carrots are all doing just fine it seems and none of the lettuces have come up. Time to go buy a new lettuce mix i think. Then a better shot of the lone tomatillo in the corner. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garden post rainstorm. The crate once again tossed almost to the other side of the garden but everything else seems to be doing fine. Cauliflowers a growing good, the potato is just going crazy and even the two little romaine are still hanging in there. I have sixe more potato pieces to plant out from some yellow and white that I used. Really need to get those in the ground over there and wished I could use the crate like I intended. Unfortunately white and yukon gold are the hilling type so this is going to be interesting. I'm going to need more soil and something to contain the soil. I do have some of the chicken wire.....but it would need support and doubled. Hmmmmm The instructions I saw said they grow well in a 10 gallon grow bag. That is a huge area. Guess I'll just toss them in and hope for the best as they don't like the hot summer.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And the jade bushes are flowering. Which is only a little early really, as typicall it is responding to rain then warm and then rain again. Spring weather. 

So that's all for now. Will take pictures when I get those planted, or not. Life is going to be interesting for the next week so needs to be done sooner than later.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

 

The winds be a'blowing

 Started getting windy again late last night and it is full on blustery windy today with intermittent rain. I got Rocky outside briefly until the wind gusted up and he decided to run back home. 

Despite the clouds, rain and wind it is a tolerable 75 today but will be dropping as the rain is coming back right now. Seriously going to pour in a few minutes. I put my denim jacket on earlier when I had to run out to the car and then go pull up two of the onions for dinner today. It was not needed for rain nor cold. 

Wind blew the crate over and picked up the empty fertilizer bag and tossed it a few feet. I tucked the bag back between the buckets and the raised bed. Yes I could easily have walked it allll the way over to the dumpster but was not in the mood. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two transplants are doing just fine. Lost a few of the smaller tomatillo sprouts but that's okay, there's still two left. The tomato looks like it's thriving despite the wind blowing it all over. The carrots are also growing just fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And of course the cilantro just going gangbusters as it does. Probably going to be planting another crop in the spring as these will be almost mature by then. You can see I took the two onions way at the end, I only needed that much for the potatoes I'm making. I forgot to see if there were any chives somewhere oh well.

Wonderful blustery wintry day today and yet mild enough to leave the window and door open for the airflow. Oh speaking of looking over the fence, remember how that was a green mound of mallow last spring? All that's left is that mass of brown branches under between the two windows. The pepper tree has started taking over as a huge shambling mound as well. Will take pictures of that when the weather is better.

Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all that!